Ham. I lov'd Ophelia: forty thousand brothers
Could not, with all their quantity of love, 294
Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?
King. O! he is mad, Laertes.
Queen. For love of God, forbear him.
Ham. 'Swounds, show me what thou'lt do:
Woo't weep? woo't fight? [woo't fast?] woo't tear thyself? 299
Woo't drink up eisel? eat a crocodile?
I'll do 't. Dost thou come here to whine?
To outface me with leaping in her grave? 302
Be buried quick with her, and so will I:
And, if thou prate of mountains, let them throw
Millions of acres on us, till our ground,
Singeing his pate against the burning zone, 306
Make Ossa like a wart! Nay, an thou'lt mouth,
I'll rant as well as thou.
Queen. This is mere madness:
And thus a while the fit will work on him;
Anon, as patient as the female dove, 310
When that her golden couplets are disclos'd,
His silence will sit drooping.
Ham. Hear you, sir;
What is the reason that you use me thus?
I lov'd you ever: but it is no matter; 314
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew and dog will have his day. Exit.
King. I pray you, good Horatio, wait upon him.
[Exit Horatio.]
[To Laertes.] Strengthen your patience in our last night's speech; 318
297 forbear: leave alone
299 Woo't: wilt thou
300 eisel: vinegar; cf. n.
306 burning zone: path of the sun
308 This . . . drooping; cf. n.
311 golden couplets; cf. n.
318 in: in the thought of
